Robbery Gang Busted and Indicted

U.S. Attorney Thomas Scott Woodward announced that a federal Grand Jury returned a Superseding Indictment against eight gang members charging them with conspiracy, multiple robberies and use of firearms during and in commission of the robberies charged. The Grand Jury’s Superseding Indictment names Vernon James Hill, age 26, Christopher Darnell Lewis, age 23, Deandre Antonio Hopkins, age 22, Marquis Deron Devers, age 23, Dontayne Dejay Tiger,age 22, James Miller, age 23, Kenneth Lee Hopkins, age 23, and Dejuan Legmar Hill, age 23, all of Tulsa. The Grand Jury alleges each of the defendants are members or affiliates of the Hoover Crips Street Gang and that they conspired to commit robberies of federally insured banks, pharmacies and a federal credit union. The Superseding Indictment alleges on August 26, 2009, Vernon James Hill, robbed the IBC Bank located at 4202 South Garnett Road, Tulsa, Oklahoma, and demanded money from an IBC employee. The Superseding Indictment also alleges on February 13, 2010, that defendants Marquis Deron Devers, Kenneth Hopkins, and others robbed the Dooley Pharmacy located at 4120 South 25th West Avenue, Tulsa, Oklahoma, while wearing masks and brandishing firearms. The Superseding Indictment also alleges that Deandre Hopkins, and others unknown to the grand jury, drove in stolen vehicles to three separate pharmacies: the T. Roy Barnes Pharmacy, Metro Pharmacy and Medical Supplies, Inc., all located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Then, in each instance, they entered the pharmacies wearing masks. During each of the pharmacy robberies, the robbers demanded money and controlled substances from pharmacy employees. The Superseding Indictment also alleges that Lewis, D. Hopkins, Devers, Tiger and Miller robbed the Tulsa Municipal Employees Federal Credit Union, Tulsa, Oklahoma, and that the defendants discharged a firearm during the robbery while inside the credit union. The Superseding Indictment also includes a November 5, 2011 robbery of the Arvest Bank located at 218 South Memorial Road, Tulsa, Oklahoma, which was committed by Dejuan Legmar Hill. Vernon Hill and Stanley Hill have already been convicted of this same robbery after separate jury trials. The Grand Jury charged the defendants with a total of 10 felony counts in relation to the rash of robberies committed between 2009 and 2011. If convicted of the conspiracy and robberies, each defendant faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison on each count. For the firearms related counts, each defendant could be sentenced to between 7 and 25 years in prison for each count. Sentences imposed in relation to each of the firearms related counts are required to run consecutively to all other counts. The criminal investigation leading to this Superseding Indictment was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force and Tulsa Police Department Robbery Unit. The Northern Oklahoma Violent Fugitive Task Force assisted in the apprehension of some of the defendants. The prosecution of this case in federal court in Tulsa will be handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Joel-lyn McCormick and Dennis A. Fries. A Grand Jury indictment is one method of charging a defendant with alleged violations of Federal Law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome the defendant’s presumption of innocence.